Contents

Why Punctuate

Dash

Full Stop (a.k.a. Period) Hyphen

Quotation Mark

Why Punctuate?

To be

understood

Read the following passage, without punctuation.

i would like to apply for a job with your company for two years i have been employed as a sales clerk for the jones store i sold nothing that i did not take pride in i am sure it will be the same if I work for you

Now, look at how much easier it is to read with punctuation:

I would like to apply for a job with your company. For two years I have been employed as a sales clerk for the Jones store. I sold nothing that I did not take pride in. I am sure it will be the same if I work for you.

Now, look at what happens when we change the position of the punctuation marks. It actually changes the meaning of the passage.

I would like to apply for a job with your company for two years. I have been employed. As a sales clerk for the Jones store I sold nothing. That, I did not take pride in. I am sure it will be the same if I work for you.

Why do we use punctuation?

We use punctuation marks:

To separate groups of meaning and emphasis.

 To convey an idea of the variations of volume, pauses, and accent of speech.

To help avoid contextual ambiguity.

Types of Punctuation

Parentheses

semicolon

Question

Brackets

Hyphen

Fulstop

Period

Colon

Dash

Mark

Full Stop (.)

Why do we use a full stop?

To end a sentence when it’s a statement

Example: The dog sat outside the door. His master had not fed him for a week.

To indicate an abbreviation Example: N.S.W, e.g., Prof.

Note: There’s a trend to phase out full stops with abbreviations.

Full stops

A full

stop

is

used

at

the

end

of

a

sentence, unless the sentence calls for

a question mark (?) or an exclamation

mark (!).

Example, Joyce went to the shop.

The power of the English

Language

Activity

Put full stops in the correct places in these groups of sentences. (You'll need to add capitals where there are new sentences.)

It had been raining for weeks the river was rising very quickly and the farmers were afraid the dam would burst we decided we would have to leave our farm

You should not drive if you have been drinking it has been proven that accidents are more likely when drivers have been drinking

Activity

Key

It had been raining for weeks. The river was rising very quickly and the farmers were afraid the dam would burst. We decided we would have to leave our farm.

You should not drive when you have been drinking. It has been proven that accidents are more likely when people have been drinking.

How Do You Use the Comma?

 Use a comma to separate

independent clause (sentences) in a

compound sentence.

I like English, BUT it is difficult.

Commas (,)

This marks a natural pause during a sentence. It is only a short pause, and should not be confused with the longer full stop pause.

Sometimes commas are essential to make the meaning of a sentence clear to the reader.

Note: Don't use too many commas, as they can make your writing jerky and disjointed. If in doubt, leave out!

Commas (2)

When do we use a commas?

In a list. Example: We bought apples, bananas, pears and grapes. (Note: no comma before "and" in a list of single items)

For instance, Sanny can run, jump, and skip.

Commas (3)

When do we also use a commas?

To prevent the reader from connecting words that do not properly belong together. Example: While I cooked the baby played nearby. (While I cooked, the baby played nearby.)

To separate an introductory expression of time from the rest of the sentence. Example: Three months later, it was all forgotten.

Commas (4)

When do we also use a commas?

To separate parts of a long sentence which contains "but" or "and". Example: The manager has given the instruction, and the staff must obey it.

To enclose anything which interrupts the flow of the sentence. Example: I hope, of course, that they'll come.

Commas (5)

When do we also use a commas?

To enclose the name of a person or their position/job, if both are mentioned. Example: The coach, Bob Jones, was given an award.

To separate direct speech from the rest of the Sentence. Example: "Go away," she said.

More on Commas

When the date identifies the day of the

week, the date is set off with a comma.

See the example below:

On Thursday, August 25,

school resumes.

More on Commas

 Use Comma to set off nouns of direct.

For example: “Gertrude, I want you to know

that Matilda like George.”

address.

 Use a comma to set off a year when it is

with a month and date.

- Julius was born June 25, 1954, in

Gauteng, Soweto.

More on Commas

 Use commas when writing full

addresses in sentence form. I live at 2345

Westchester Blvd., Springfield, IL 62703

 Use commas to set off introductory

phrases that come at the beginning of

a sentence. Feeling anxious, George

slowly stepped on the stage.

Activity 1

Insert commas where necessary.

The house was cold damp small and inconvenient. When he fired the bullet hit the target accurately. Bill said "The train is late.” Andre the world famous clown is a Frenchman. Before we left we checked to make sure we'd turned off the computer.

Activity 1 (2)

Insert commas where necessary.

I insist on eating Grandfather before we leave the house. Wilma Fred's wife lived near the river. Jim will arrive sometime tonight but I don't know exactly when it will be.

Activity 1

Key

The house was cold, damp, small and inconvenient. When he fired, the bullet hit the target accurately. Bill said, "The train is late.” Andre, the world famous clown, is a Frenchman.

Activity 1

Key (2)

Before we left, we checked to make sure we'd turned off the computer. I insist on eating, Grandfather, before we leave the house. Wilma, Fred's wife, lived near the river. Jim will arrive sometime tonight, but I don't know exactly when it will be.

Activity 2

Some of the examples below need to be two sentences, instead of one sentence with a comma. Change the commas to full stops where necessary.

The rain began to come down heavily, we were soon wet through. We ran down the road, and soon found shelter in a doorway.

Activity 2 (2)

We waited for about an hour, but the rain would not stop. At three o'clock my friend drove by, he offered us a lift home. When we arrived home our house was flooded, we stayed with friends for the night.

Activity 2 (1)

Key

The rain began to come down heavily. We were soon wet through. We ran down the road, and soon found shelter in a doorway. We waited for about an hour, but the rain would not stop. At three o'clock my friend drove by. He offered us a lift home.

Activity 2 (2)

Key

When we arrived home our house was flooded. We stayed with friends for the night.

Note: The examples in yellow each contain two statements with no joining word such as and, so, but or as. Because of this, they need to be made into two sentences.

Semi-Colons

Why do we use a semi-colon?

A semi-colon can be used instead of a full stop

when the two parts of the sentence are too

closely related in meaning to be put into

separate sentences.

Examples: We did not go into the theatre before

our friends arrived; instead, we waited outside.

I don't know who my grandfather was; I am more

concerned to find out who his grandson will be.

Semi-Colon (;)

Why do we use a semi-colon?

Semi-colons can also be used between items on a list, when the items consist of a number of words, or when the use of commas alone would be confusing.

Example: The committee consisted of Carol Jones, the staff representative; Bill Johnson, the boss; Terry Smith, the local doctor; Murray Todd, the fisherman; and Mary Renshaw, the cook.

Activity

Put semi-colons in the correct places in the following sentences.

He and his dog spent all their time together he had no other friends. She arranged to meet Tom inside the football ground she wanted to avoid paying his entry fee. I left the movie early I was not feeling well. The rain fell all day the carnival had to be called off.

Activity

Key

He and his dog spent all their time together; he had no other friends. She arranged to meet Tom inside the football ground; she wanted to avoid paying his entry I left the movie early; I was not feeling well. The rain fell all day; the carnival had to be called off.

Apostrophy (‘’)

The apostrophy can be used to:

Show that letters have been left out. These are called contractions. example: can't for cannot, didn't for did not, it's for it is or it has

Apostrophy (‘) 2

The apostrophe is also used to show possession (or ownership) in the following ways:

If the thing/person that owns something is singular, add 's Examples: The girl's books (the books belonging to the girl)

If the thing/person that owns something is plural and already ends with an "s", simply add an apostrophe. Examples: The girls' books (thebooks belonging to the girls)

Apostrophy (‘) 3

The apostrophy can also be used:

If the thing/person that owns something is plural but does not end in an "s", add 's. Examples: The women's club (the club belonging to the women)

Apostrophes

An apostrophe is

a mark

(‘

)

used to

indicate.

 the possessive case

the omission of a letter or letters

 If the word does not end in s, add ‘s:

Apostrophe

1.

Indicates

the

possessive

case

of

nouns

and

indefinite pronouns.

E.g. The boy’s mother / Sara’s house

2.

Marks omission of letters in contracted words.

E.g. didn’t / o’clock / telephone – ’phone

3.

Marks omission of digits in numbers.

E.g. class of ’83

4.

Is often used to form plurals of letters, figures,

punctuated abbreviations, symbols, and word

referred to as words.

E.g. Your plan is good, even if there are lots of but's in it.

Two of the junior faculty have Ph.D’s.

Apostrophes Examples

 Examples, The book of the boy – the

boy’s book



The

book

of

the

children

–

the

children’s books

If the word

ends

in

s

and

is singular,

add ‘s:

 The book of Charles – Charles’s book

Activity

Where does the apostrophe of possession belong in the following sentences?

The dogs dinner (the dinner belonging to one dog) The dogs dinner (the dinner belonging to more than one dog) The cats whiskers (the whiskers belonging to one cat) The cats whiskers (the whiskers belonging to more than one cat)

Activity

Key

The dog’s dinner The dogs’ dinner The cat’s whiskers The cats’ whiskers

Capitals latters

Capital letters are used:

At the start of a new sentence. Example: The cat

sat on the mat. His owner sat nearby.

For the letter "i" when you are referring to

yourself. Example: He can run faster than I can.

For people's names. Examples: Jim Smith, Bill

Jones

Capital Letters (2)

Capital letters are also used:

For titles. Examples: Dr Jones, Mr Brown

For book/film/company titles (main words only). Examples: The Catcher in the Rye, The Wizard of Oz, Briggs and Sons

In direct speech, for the first spoken word. Example: She said, "My name is Mary."

Capital Letters (3)

Capital letters are also used:

For acronyms. Examples: TAFE, CIA

For titles of days, months. Examples: Monday, July

Capitals latters

A capital letter is normally used in

writing:

 For the first letter of the first word at

the beginning

of a sentence

 For the first letter of proper nouns

(Kevin),

countries (South Africa),

cities (Johannesburg), and titles

Champion).

(the

Capitals latters



For the first letter of the names of days

(Tuesday),

months (February), festivals

(Dwali).



For

the

first

letter

of

houses,

ships,

streets,

newspapers,

books,

play-titles

(King Street).

 For a person’s initials (K.G. Baxter).



For the word I.

Activity

Put capital letters in the correct places in the following sentences:

mr brown needed to see the doctor urgently. mary said, " may i come,too?" i will go to see joe on the first monday in may. she lives in sydney, nsw. karl and i went to the movies on wednesday night. we saw "one flew over the cuckoo's nest", starring jack nicholson.

E.g. If I win the lottery, I will buy a castle / I will buy a castle if I

win the lottery.

12. Set off contrasting and opposing expressions.

E.g. He changed his style, not his ethics.

Comma

13.Separates a tag question from the rest of the sentence.

E.g. It’s a fine day, isn’t it?

14.Is used to avoid ambiguity that might arise from adjacent

words.

E.g. To Mary, Jane was someone special.

15.Punctuates an inverted name.

E.g. Morton, William.

16.Follows the salutation in informal letter.

E.g. Dear Mark, / Very truly yours,

Dash

1.

To show a pause or break in meaning in the middle of a sentence.

E.g. My brothers—Richard and John—are visiting Hanoi.

In the 15th century—when of course nobody had

electricity—water was often pumped by hand.

2.

To show an afterthought.

E.g. I attached the photo to my email—at least I hope I did!

3.

To introduce a list.

E.g. Don’t forget to buy some food—eggs, bread, tuna and cheese.

4.

To show that letters or words are missing.

E.g. They are really f----d up.

5.

Often precedes the attribution of a quotation.

E.g. My foot is on my native heath ....

-Sir Walter Scott

Ellipsis

1.

Indicates the omission of one or more words within a quoted

passage.

E.g. In the little world in which children have their

existence,… there is nothing so finely perceived

and so finely felt as injustice.-Charles Dickens

2.

Usually indicates omission of one or more lines of poetry when

ellipsis is extended the length of the line.

E.g. I think that I shall never see

A poem lovely as a tree

.

Poems are made by fools like me,

But only God can make a tree. –Joyce Kilmer

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

3.

Indicates halting speech or an unfinished sentence in dialogue.

E.g. “I’d like to … that is … if you don’t mind ….”

Slash

1.

Separate alternatives.

E.g. Dear Sir/Madam.

Mary will eat cake and/or fruit.

2.

Replaces the word to or and between related terms that are compounded.

E.g. In the May/June issue.

The fiscal year 2009/2010.

3.

Divides elements in dates and divides numerators and denominators in

fractions.

E.g. Offer expires 5/10/2011

2/3 (two-thirds)

4.

Set off phonemes and phonemic transcription.

E.g. /b/ as in but

Linking Devices

Linking words or devices help you to build a logical argument or thread in your assignment by linking one statement to another. An assignment without linking words reads like a series of unrelated statements with no flow.